North Frontenac Council Report - July 10 meeting

Jeff Green | Jul 17, 2025

Asset Management

A provincial push for updates to asset management plans, led to a report from North Frontenac Treasurer Kelly Watkins about the state of repair of North Frontenac assets. As she pointed out, none of the rural townships looking at their fixed assets is in a position to bring them all up to 100% good repair without spending millions of dollars that the townships do not have. Watkins said that if the township seeks a level of 70% of assets in good repair, a 2% increase in taxation each year for a ten-year period would bring the township to that level.

The township has already been doing that for a number of years, but is now faced with a 10 year commitment.

“Let’s not forget that this is a 2% increase, and when you add that to the 2% inflationary increase, we are faced with 4% before we have even looked at any new projects we might want to take on,” said Deputy Mayor John Inglis.

Council adopted Watkins recommendation for the increase, but noted that the commitment is not binding on the budget process in any given year. 

Memorial Banner Program

North Frontenac joined with Addington Highlands in approving the memorial banner program for the time leading up to Remembrance Day

Shabomeka Lake Request for Parking Permit System

In her second appearance as a delegate this year, Shabomeka Lake Association President Laura Logan appeared before Council to talk about ongoing efforts to improve the township boat launch site at the lake.

Aside from a number of maintenance issues that township staff and association volunteers have identified and addressed to a great extent, she also reiterated the association’s requests that a permit system be set up for parking at the site for island property owners on the lake. 

Chief Administrative Officer Cory Klatt intervened as Council began to consider the association's request regarding permits, to say that there are island properties on a number of lakes in the township, and parking for island property owners on the mainland is addressed in different ways.

One lake association negotiated the use of a private lot for island property owners, Klatt said. He recommended that Council defer consideration of the Shabomeka Lake Association request, pending a broader conversation, and Council agreed.

Automatic Aid Agreement

Council considered automatic aid agreements for fire and emergency services with both Central Frontenac and Greater Madawaska. The Central Frontenac resolution includes a $10,000 standby fee, and the Greater Madawaska agreement includes a $5,800 standby fee.

Both agreements were approved in principle.

Community Forum

Don Morton, representing  North Frontenac News Media, an independent media service published on Patreon, appeared at the end of the meeting with a number of questions related to the agenda, as part of the public forum section of the meeting.

First, he quoted a provision in the municipal act referring to all meetings being open to the public. He also quoted from  the charter of rights and freedoms, which refers specifically to freedom of the press.

One of his questions was about the integrity commissioner. He pointed out that the integrity commissioner that the township has engaged is employed at the same law firm as the township’s legal counsel, and Morton wanted to know how Council is going to deal with “a perceived conflict of interest that undermines public trust”. He asked other questions related to integrity as well. He also asked why the minutes from the meeting do not reflect all that is said at the meeting, noting that in the June minutes comments by a presenter, and two members of council about a freedom of speech issue.

After finishing his questions, Mayor Lichty thanked him.

Morton asked if his questions would be answered, and Mayor Lichty said, “no, not as part of this meeting. There is no back and forth here. It is a forum, not a question period.”

Morton said “going forward in the future, I have stated the law, I would like my own press table, and my own question period, and my questions answered.”